3. Really long hair. And it getting on things. In things. Particularly my face.

4. Condoms. I know, I know, it's not responsible, it's not a good message. But wow, they are horrible slimy nasty things. Constricting, smell bad, taste bad, and... yeah, well, I don't like them. But I've always been responsible. Pretty much. That's how I know how much I don't like them.

Day Eight: Three turn-ons.Day Nine: Two images that describe your life right now, and why.Day Ten: One confession.

So far, we haven't found anything too disturbing in the washing. Sherlock is joyously playing with the degus. Mrs Hudson did not manage to train them to do any new tricks, to his disappointment. But she did feed and water them.

He's full of excitement about tadpoles and newts, too.

Mycroft called to say he was back at school safely, and that Anthea was definitely feeling better. He's looking forward to the summer holidays, though.

I feel like I've been posting WAY too much today, but I am in the throes of procrastination...

Glad to hear Mycroft and Anthea have finished their trip safely. I used to practice karate, and periodically, there would be these "special trainings" we would all go on a road trip for. And it always ended with "special training is not over until we're all home safe."

My brother in law, before he was my brother in law, apparently collected condoms so as to give his partner a choice of the evening's "attire". He had all kinds, including some that would definitely not pass muster nowadays. I've seen the packet with the smiley face one (it never did get used) but I think the glow-in-the-dark one is a myth my sister uses to make me blush.

The longest I've ever had mine was probably when I decided I'd try to make it curly... It's too thick though. It self-straightens very fast. Hence it having a life of its own usually, sticking up everywhere.

I had very long hair - half-way down my back - as a child. One day when I was about ten my Mum cut it down to just about shoulder-length without warning. I didn't speak to her for a week :-p In my teens I cut it progressively shorter; now it's about the same length as yours in your current photo, Lestrade.

I find it incredibly liberating to have very short hair that requires no faff :-)

I notice that manipulation/game playing/etc is popping up on a few peoples' turn-off lists.

Mine's been short ever since I was old enough to have a say in the matter, I'd rather get an extra few minutes sleep in the morning than faff with long hair ( that was a challenge, autocorrect really doesn't like the word " faff").

However, this is one of those "other kids and their parents" challenges I'm dealing with right now - the "girls are supposed to have long hair" cliche is alive and well in my part of the world.

And another vote against condoms here, there was a while IMO thirties where they were a constant presence in my life and just - yuck!

The only thing I regret about shaving my head Piplover is that I didn't donate my hair, it was very long and it shouldn't have gone to waste!

I'm always up for Photo's Greg :-)

Imachar the whole gender stereotype thing bugs the life out of me, girls wear pink boys wear blue, girls play with dolls boys play with cars, girls have long hair boys have short hair, what is it that people are scared of if they let their kids do something 'wrong'?

In role play at nursery they had hospitals and all the girls had to be nurses and the boys were the doctors!! It didn't pass without comment once I knew I can assure you :-)

The color coding (primary colors are for boys, really icky shades of secondary colors or washed out pastels are for girls) is really pervasive. I've seen boys avoid playing with a purple ball until an adult intervenes.

I may be the only person here with long hair. I don't mess with it much, though. A shampoo and a scrunchy, and I'm good to go. I've pretty much worn it the same way for over a decade. I tried going without bangs for a while, but my forehead is too big without them. I have thought about cutting it short, but the levoxyl makes it fall out and I think I'd end up looking bald. (Which would not be a good look for me, believe me. I like long hair on other people too, as long as it's clean. But short hair is nice too. The only thing I don't like is the superbald, "I waxed and buffed my head this morning" look on a guy who thinks he's macho.

ryo I've been posting a lot today too, but it was a day off and I've been dodging things I should have accomplished. I haven't even put on my glasses yet. Lots of naps, though!

Pandabob - well done you! I think this is going to be an ongoing battle for me. And I don't get the fear either, but I think a lot of it is about pressure (real or perceived) to conform to whatever other people think is "normal".

I hope you all don't mind, but I've just got round to typing out my various days and having made the effort I'd really like to post this somewhere safe, so please just skip this and move onto the next comment:

Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart1) Listen to me – even if what I’m saying doesn’t have any relevance to you.2) Give me my independence.3) Don’t seek to protect me. If I get myself into difficulties I am quite prepared to get myself out again.4) If we have a discussion don’t take the fact that I don’t agree with something as a personal attack.5) Stand on your own two feet. I will support you, but I do not want to be continually reassuring.6) Buy me chocolate, wine and flowers.7) Don’t order me around, you know I react badly to authority.8) Allow me to get cross and upset without having to think about your feelings all the time.

Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot1) Tea.2) The children in all sorts of ways.3) My relationship.4) How the hell did I get here?5) What am I going to do next?6) Is it nearly lunch time/where’s the chocolate?7) My own alternative universe.

Day Five: Six things you wish you’d never done1) Worked harder and got a better degree.2) If I’d not got married it would have saved a lot of pain, but there have been many pluses as well.3) Been less restrained in my youth, although it’s fun making up now.4) Lost touch with friends.5) Spent as much on things I didn’t really need.6) Not taken every opportunity I’d had.

Up until...quite recently... blue was for girls and pink was for boys.

I think I might have known that (somewhere in the back of my mind) but thanks for the reminder. It does make you wonder where some of these weird social "norms" come from...who gets to decide that blue will now be a color reserved for boys?

Ok, the long hair thing. My dad told me I'd look like the Moscow area women's wrestling champion if I had my hair cut short, so I never have quite managed that (he didn't mean it in a good way). But for those of you who have or have had long hair, doesn't it feel good on your bare back?

I have long hair because mine is naturally ringlet-curly. Like, would put Shirley Temple to shame. And since the regulation says no more than 3" of bulk in any direction, a bun is the only way to go. I've had it short only once and I looked like an electrified squirrel. Unfortunately it was right when I turned 18, so my drivers license pic will forever be Squirrel!Wanderer.

Thanks for bringing it up, Lestrade. I shall now go curl up in a corner and cry.

Imacgar, IIRC it was a religious thing--the blue was supposed to invoke heavens. The pink was arbitrary (and relatively recent, too); since the boys had blue, they needed something for girls, and decided pink was pretty/harmless enough.

DW, I grew mine long enough to put up for drill weekends too. Mine isn't as curly as yours, but it does have a tendency to stay whatever shape it was when I slept on it wet, and trying to keep the cowlick down was too much adventure.

yes, it is rsf. and of yard but not wagon, though I suppose yard for this may be a bit obscure.

My hair length is cyclic. I let it grow long until I can't stand it any more and am* basically wandering around with it always up and then I* pay* to have it chopped off to about chin length. I once intended to grow it out and then donate it, but* by the time* I got around to having it cut, I actually forgot that that was* my plan :(

I found that my hair was actually dirtier when I kept it short in the Army, so I let it grow longer and put it in a bun. Then, when in the field and not able to shower for a few days, it didn't look or feel as disgusting as it did when it was short.

I have fine hair, though, even if I have a lot of it. My sister, on the other hand, has thick, thick black hair. I'm not jealous, not at all. *Sulks*

I've got very thick and wavy hair (Kate L can vouch for me on this point) and I just got 6 inches chopped off and it's still down to my waist. It's easier to manage when long because I can pull it back in a bun or a braid and be done with it then.

I haven't been playing along with the lists, but I did want to mention one turnoff of mine that I was surprised not to see on anyone else's list: wasting talent. Nothing upsets me quite as much as knowing Person X is great at something but can't be bothered to put in the time and effort to become even better.

Pip - my hair's fine too, and I have lots of it. it goes very lank if I keep it long; but you're right, it's much easier to deal with situations where you can't get to wash it if it's long. I got off a 24-hour flight one time feeling (and sure I was looking) awful, the woman next to me just pulled her hair into a ponytail and looked great.

One of my mate's sons has longish hair; his grandfather is disapproving, and maintains a constant low-level mumbled complaint about it, but can't really come out and say what he wants ("but he looks like a girl!") in front of my strongly feminist friend :-)